Better from Andy Murray. The Briton returns to the Suzanne Lenglen clay with a spring in his step, starting aggressively as he keeps Ferrer pinned to the baseline. He needs an early morale-boosting hold - and that is exactly what he gets.

Robin Soderling,, external the only other man to beat Nadal in the French Open, on Twitter: Unbelievable level from Novak. Big congrats! And what an amazing fighting spirit by Rafa, as always...such a role model for all youngsters.

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No excuses from Rafael Nadal after his comprehensive defeat to Novak Djokovic.

"He was better than me," says the Spaniard after his first Roland Garros defeat since 2009. "That's it. It's very simple. When one opponent is playing better than you and is in better shape than you, that can happen.

"I'm not happy about my first set, obviously. I am happy about my second set. I'm not happy about the third set but I tried."

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion

"Andy Murray was in a fantastic position to win in straight sets. But a quality player like David Ferrer, you'd expect him to get one set or two. Murray has lost a set but he has got to get back out there and get into it."

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Ferrer deservedly takes this match to a fourth set with a hold to love. The Spaniard, spurred on by the French crowd, screams in undulated pleasure as he keeps his hopes of another Roland Garros semi-final alive.

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So that break in the last game means David Ferrer takes a couple of balls knowing that he is serving for the third set. The French crowd are loving his revival - they're even busting out the Mexican wave at the change of ends....

Murray, brow perspirating in the evening Paris sunshine, loses his way as tiredness appears to kick in. One of my colleagues has just suggested perhaps Murray has just realised he will play his nemesis Novak Djokovic in the last four. He was kidding. I think. But then Murray double faults to hand Ferrer a break point - which he devours like a hungry wolf.

Is this the moment? Andy Murray is one point away from a semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic as he has advantage - but Ferrer finds another gear to keep this quarter-final alive. Murray, pinned back behind the baseline, spoons the match point wide and then sees Ferrer complete the great escape. On we go...

Ferrer has struggled with his service game in this match - particularly when Murray has piled on the pressure. But he digs out his first serve when it matters here. The Spaniard takes a 30-0 lead before a splendid Murray passing winner claws back a point. The Briton then uses the net to his advantage (luck) to level but Ferrer moves forward to end another long rally with a winner. Two more points are exchanged and that means we go to deuce....

Oh, this is brilliant. Murray spanks a perfect forehand - following a not too shabby forehand from Ferrer - into the corner of the court, then sees out the next three points with an ace and a pair of Ferrer backhand errors.

Three love service games out of the last four. Blip? What blip? Murray is one game away from the French Open semi-finals....

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Can someone call the doctor? David Ferrer has a serious bout of doublefaultitis. The Spaniard fluffs his lines again with his opening serve - that's his ninth double fault of the match - then fails to execute a tempting smash in the next point.

Again Ferrer castigates that pesky clicking cameramen stood behind him. Again it inspires the seventh seed into focus. He wins the next three points and then takes a fourth when Murray's return is a touch too long.

What. A. Hold.

"Come on!" That familiar Murray shriek is heard once again as he stops the rot with a hold-to-love service game. Very important as this set hangs in the balance.

Focus Andy, focus. The Briton bounds towards the net to volley in a winner for 15-15 - something we've not seen a great deal of from Murray. That's only his ninth winner of the match at the net - at a percentage of 56% compared to Ferrer's 81%.

But it is not enough to spur him into another break as Ferrer reasserts control with his serve. That's three successive games for the Spaniard, who hears Rocky Balboa-style chants of "Dav-id, Dav-id" echoing around Court Suzanne Lenglen.

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Novak Djokovic describes his quarter-final win over Rafael Nadal as "an incredible day".

"I have great respect for Rafa, he's a true champion and it's always a pleasure to play him," adds the 28-year-old.

"I knew I had to be aggressive and stay concentrated on every point. That's not easy to do against a man who had only lost once here in his career. It's an incredible day, I am very happy and I want to continue like this."

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion

"Ferrer just needs to stick with Andy. He needs Murray to lose concentration and we know he does that every now and again."

Lifeline for Ferrer as Murray chokes up three break points! Where this has come from I do not know.

The first is pushed wide by the Spaniard's backhand into the tramlines. Next chance. Can he take this one? Yes he can! Murray tries to guide a vicious return back over the tape but it falls short and hits the mesh.

Court Suzanne Lenglen is rather quiet at the moment. The Paris crowd have been firmly behind Spain's Ferrer from the first toss, but realise that it is the Briton who is coasting towards the last four.

A brief pause as Ferrer leads 40-30 when the Spaniard - not for the first time - complains about people taking photographs behind him. Then, he produces one for the cameras as he hammers down his first ace of the match to cling on to his serve.

Murray is walking down Easy Street now. The third seed produces a first-rate serving game, which includes two booming aces, to rattle off a quick hold to love.

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Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion

"Djokovic deserved the win. If you look at the stats, this looks an upset - but it's not really. The world number one has beaten the world number six or seven who has not been in form.

"Djokovic is playing the best tennis of his career. He's been close to beating Nadal before, but he's improved and Rafa's got problems in his game. If you look at the score, it's a good old beating. Novak just does not let up."

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion

"That's a good set from Murray, he's slightly more relaxed and he put more into his shots and rallies."

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